The Endangered Species Act was written into law in 1973. Since then it has successfully protected 99% of the species that fall into the “endangered” and “threatened” categories of the law. For this article in particular we will be focusing on the different species of wolves that are protected by this law.

Prior to the wolf being added to the Endangered Species list they were hunted to near extinction in North America and Mexico. Currently in America there are around 9,000 wolves populating the country, thanks in great part to the protections afforded them against hunters and poachers. However there is a current push on the State and National levels to reverse or otherwise dismantle the law protecting not only wolves but 2,179 other species of animals that face possible extinction within North America due to human activity.